Best Cable TV and Internet Bundles

Finding the right cable bundle can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. There's usually a buffet of options, and no one wants to take up space on their plate with a bundle they end up hating.

So before you seal the deal, here are a few tips to help you choose the right bundle for you.

Most of us have a budget in mind when we're shopping for new cable TV and internet service. That's a great place to start, but don't forget that sometimes prices can be deceiving.

A provider may offer a killer deal on a bundle, but you want to make sure you end up with an internet and TV service that maintains a price that is comfortable with your wallet.

Make sure any bundles in your price range come with an internet speed that supports your online activities. And take a peek at the channel listings to see if you'll actually watch TV—or if you'll spend all afternoon flipping through channels. (More on that next.)

Pigs will fly when we end up with TV service that has every single channel we want to watch and not a single channel more.

So don't expect your cable TV service to be a perfect fit, but a majority of the channels should at least be appealing to you and your family. One way to check is to search for channel listings online.

• Xfinity channel guide
• Cox channel guide
• Optimum TV schedule
• Spectrum channel guide

Paying less may also mean you end up with slower internet speeds, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to go all out and get gigabit speeds either.

In general, here are the download speeds you should look for:

• 1–2 people: 40–100 Mbps
• 2–4 people: 75–300 Mbps
• 4+ people: 500+ Mbps

You'll also need to consider what you do online and what kinds of devices use your internet:

• Video calls: 100+ Mbps download speeds and at least 10 Mbps upload speeds
• Home security cameras: 100+ Mbps download speeds
• Streaming in 4K: 75+ Mbps download speeds
• Gaming: 40+ Mbps download speeds for most games, at least 10 Mbps upload speeds if you play online games

Xfinity offers TV and internet service across the US. And Xfinity bundles work for most people’s needs, whether you’re working from home or have a large family of gamers and streamers. For a decent price, you get fast speeds and the channels you want to watch. But that 1.2 TB data cap might be a downside.

Xfinity's cable bundles come with speeds of 150 to 1,200 Mbps, a great range covering most everyone's internet needs. 

As we mentioned, the 1.2 TB data cap might be a drawback if you're an internet power user who downloads and uploads content regularly. But for most of us, that's more than enough data to keep us going.

The Xfinity cable TV lineup includes fan favorites like A&E, CNN, Cartoon Network, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, and Telemundo. Of course, which channels you end up with depends on the bundle you choose, but generally, you can expect high-quality channels.

You won't find many bundles that offer this channel count combined with great download speeds for these low prices. We believe most households will benefit from Fast Internet + Popular TV for $90 per month,  and for bigger families, Superfast Internet + Ultimate TV for $120 per month. 

Here's a quick look at some of the most popular Xfinity TV and internet bundle prices, channels, and internet speeds (more are listed on their site). And if you want more info, you can dive into our Xfinity internet and Xfinity TV reviews.

Don't want a pre-set bundle and would rather customize a bundle to fit your needs? We hear ya. 

Cox lets you pair your preferred internet speed with the cable TV package of your choice. No need to decipher odd bundle names or double-check channel counts and speeds.

You've also got the option of declining the contract and adding phone and smart home service. Yes, you'll end up paying more per month, but again, the choice is yours.

Cox doesn't try to overwhelm you with dozens of TV or internet options.

For TV, you can choose between local channels, local channels and basic cable, or go all out with local channels, basic cable, and premium channels. (Those premium channels include MAX, STARZ, CINEMAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, and MGM+.)

You've also got many options for internet, starting at up to 100Mbps, which is a great speed for Grandma, who loves streaming NCIS, or for two people who don't use the internet 24/7. Or you can get up to 1,000Mbps—just right for those who upload big files and avid gamers. 

To top that off, you can grab Cox's smart home system and Cox Mobile. The ability to choose your TV plan, internet download speeds, home automation, and phone service makes Cox the best option for customizable bundles. 

Check out some of Cox's TV and internet bundles below, or dig into the details in our Cox internet and Cox TV reviews.

Between its lack of contracts, unlimited data, and fast speeds, Spectrum TV® offers major perks for big families. Spectrum has two internet speed options and four TV choices (two cable plans and two streaming plans). When you bundle multiple Spectrum services, you unlock multi-year price guarantees of up to three years, which you wouldn't get with single-service purchases.

We like that this provider is widely available across the US—second to Xfinity TV—and that's one of the reasons why Spectrum is one of our favorite cable TV companies.

Like Xfinity TV, Spectrum TV® offers many bundles to fit your needs—but Spectrum's bundles have a slightly better price tag and higher download speeds. 

For example, Xfinity's Fast Internet + Popular TV plan comes with 500Mbps download speeds and 125+ channels for $111.85 per month. Spectrum's equivalent is Internet Premier + TV Select Signature, which gives you 500Mbps download speeds, 150+ channels, Disney+ Basic, and Paramount+ Essential for $125.

But unlike Xfinity, Spectrum's bundles come without a contract. So if you and the fam (or your roommates) need to up and move, you won’t have to pay early termination fees.

Where Xfinity beats Spectrum TV is its channel lineup. Xfinity's 125-channel lineup will have more popular channels than Xfinity's, and you'll get more sports channels with Xfinity. 

Sneak a peek at all your Spectrum bundle options, or get the scoop on Spectrum Internet® and Spectrum TV® in our full-length reviews.

Optimum is known for bringing internet and TV service to small-town America, especially in the South. So if you're searching for a new provider in Texas, Oklahoma, or Louisiana, this provider might be the one for you.

Optimum also has a mix-and-match bundle building setup, similar to Cox. So you get to pick and choose exactly what internet and TV service you want. 

Optimum makes it simple with two internet speeds and four cable TV plans. (Optimum also offers a $30 streaming package with 80+ channels.)

The slowest speed you get is 300 Mbps, which is great for a small household of streamers and internet users, or go big with 1,000 Mbps for hardcore internet users or big families.

You can choose between four ranges of TV channel counts—50, 125, 200, or 250. Basic TV has all your local channels and more. Core TV will have Cartoon Network, Food Network, Lifetime, MSNBC, and TBS. Premier TV gives you HBO, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, and STARZ channels, along with other niche channels, like Lifetime Movie Network. 

Take a look at a few of the Optimum TV and internet bundles you can choose from, or get the scoop on how well Optimum stacks up in our internet and TV reviews. 

When it comes to saving money on your cable TV and internet bill, Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, and Optimum all offer channel counts, download speeds, and extra perks that can't be beat.

• Xfinity bundles have the best value with channel counts between 10–185, download speeds of 150–1,200, and monthly prices of $159–$296 per month. 
• Cox bundles can consist of smart home, mobile, a TV plan with 75–250 channels, and internet service with up to 100–2,272Mbps download speeds for $70–$261.99.
• Spectrum bundles include 45–170 channels and download speeds of 500–1,000Mbps for $70–$145 per month. The difference between Xfinity Internet, Cox Internet, and Spectrum Internet is that Spectrum offers no data caps. 
• Optimum bundles range between $70–$185 and are mostly offered in small towns. With this provider, you can get 50, 125, 200, or 250 channels and 300Mbps or gig speeds. 

We based our review and ranking of the best cable TV and internet providers on the following criteria:

• Price for bundles
• TV channel count options
• Download speeds
• Data caps
• Contracts
• Availability

The price for the channel count and internet speeds you receive must be fair. With 8+ years of experience in reviewing TV and internet providers, we understand this is the most important aspect of a great bundle. 

We also like a provider to have multiple options for its customers, because not everyone needs high-speed internet or 200+ channels. An excellent provider will offer many bundles to fit different households.